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Never really fished the west side of Cache Valley but last week I decided to get out there and paddle around before the bad weather hit.
I got out there twice, the first day I launched from Benson marina. At the ramp area there were a bunch of smaller fish that seemed to be feeding on something on the surface. They were jumping. Not sure what they were, they were about 3 or 4 inches. I tried catching them with a tiny crank bait, jigging and fly with no luck.
I got the kayak in the water after a while, I was looking for bass since I hear there are a few around. No luck at all. Floated down one side and came back up the other side. I did manage a catfish on a senko worm.
The next day I launched from the other ramp closer to Newton. Again I was looking for bass. I tried spinners, worms, jigging with tubes, crank baits. I got skunked. I've got lots to learn about the area. There are lots of carp though.
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Hey glad you made it out to the pond... The little fish are most likely carp... Been using the casting net out there lately and managed a 5 gallon bucket half full the other day... Lots of small crappie or gills too, with an occasional catfish or walleye in the minnow net... Makes is hard to sort through the catchings so you don't keep anything that you're not supposed to...
Bass are there, but tough to find... I got a couple yesterday, but I spent some time to do it... Right now the bass seem to be bottom hugging, so if you're not fishing the bottom, you won't find them, well that's my experience anyway... Hope your next trip turns out better for what you're looking for... Later J
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Say Jeff do the carp minnows freeze well? Thinking I should make a run up there, for next years bait supply.
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There's Always Time For One More Cast
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BLK could speak to that. He gave me some of his leftovers one day and they seemed to be just fine. When I get a little time I'm going to try my minnow trap for them at Lincoln harbor.
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The older I get the more I would rather be considered a good man than a good fisherman.
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Well I caught a mess up there today. I just bagged them and try to get all the air I could out then popped them in the freezer. hope they keep. will see.
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John-- Should work for ya okay. I have better luck filling my bags of carp/minnows/white bass with enough water to cover them and then squeeze out all the air until only water and bait remains; no freezer burn, and they last for years. They are good for one thawing, no re-freezing. They tend to become mushy after one thawing.
You should just keep using whatever you have been using cuz it sure has produced some nice cats. Good on ya.
Lynn
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thank you Lynn. figure that refreezing them wouldn't work well so only put enough in each bag for a trip. didn't think of capping them off with water. Although that would of took more space in the freezer and the wife is already complaining about me moving some of our meat into the kitchen freezer to make room for bait in the deep freeze.
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John, had at least 2 very hard solid hits on those carplets you gave me yesterday at the river. I cut one in half and hooked the head half to one line. Then took a smaller one and hooked it whole to the other line. Had one hard hit and run at the gate area by the observation tower, must have just ran with the tail of the bait, cuz after about dozen cranks on the reel, all the fight stopped, and I reeled in just the mangled head part of the one that I had used the whole fish. Then back at the last spot I was at had another hard hit on a head half. Fish went up river and toward the far bank. Wrapped me up in the reeds then spit the hook.
Had fun yesterday, and thanks for the bait. Won't be anymore contest fishing for me, but will still make it to the river on weekends when weather isn't too bad.
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Hey John,
Use Pat's method of freezing minnows in water and the carp do really well... Usually this extra cold makes the minnows thicker than ever, so probably getting to a good point to stock up... Good luck... Jeff
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Wow sorry looks like I'm going to have to get my e-mail notifications fixed, I was way behind on this post... Later J
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